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ABOUT ME

MY BACKGROUND

My name is Evan Loofbourrow. My pronouns are he, him, and his. My passion for therapy and counseling is informed by a lifelong dedication to helping people through crises of mental health, and understanding why we do the things we do. I truly believe in the transformative power of therapy and its potential to heal. I draw much of my expertise in my work from my own lived experience.

 

I received my M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University. I also hold a B.A. in Psychology from San Jose State University. I have been practicing psychotherapy formally since 2016, and have worked and volunteered since 2011 as a behavioral therapist, crisis mental health counselor, and with various applied therapy techniques.

I am trained in and have experience providing therapy and counseling for anxiety, depression, OCD, relationship and family conflict, grief, loss, trauma, neurodivergence (e.g. Autism Spectrum), managing chronic illness (e.g. Crohn's Disease, anemia, HIV/AIDS), life stage transitions (e.g. choosing a career), and navigating one's sexual and gender expression and identities. My scope of practice includes managing suicide and crisis, facilitating therapy groups, and working with individuals, families, adolescents, and the LGBTQ+ community.

 

When not with clients, I love to be outside, probably somewhere in a forest or on a beach, hiking, biking, or just taking it all in. I believe that nature has a profound way of helping us to let go, and to find ourselves once again – a meaningful form of therapy all its own.

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PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

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MY APPROACH TO HELPING

I aim to be as collaborative as possible in my psychotherapy work. I want to fully involve you in the process and choices of therapy as we move through our sessions together. Working as a team, we'll set goals at the beginning and check in periodically on how you and I are doing. Ultimately, the process of therapy should not be mysterious – its teachings should be "given away" to those who seek them, to empower you to eventually become your own therapist.

 

While I take the profession of therapy very seriously, I value the importance of using humor and levity to work through difficult conversations. I will challenge your long-held beliefs and habits, encourage you to get uncomfortable, and ask for your honest self-evaluation. This doesn't all have to be overly serious or scary, but it is an important part of your growth in therapy.

 

I like to make your self-care an ongoing part of the conversation. Honoring your needs for physical, mental, and emotional wellness is integral to the success of our work together. This attention to the basics sets the framework for deeper personal exploration.

 

I encourage my clients to recall and practice on their own what we have discussed in session. Like any habit, what is learned in therapy improves with regular practice. Our session only accounts for one hour out of 168 in a week! I want you to lean on our work together when you are out in the world. To support this, I will offer a variety of tools and exercises for you to explore, both in-session and out.

 

No single approach works for everyone, and for that reason, I always like to hear feedback on what is working for you, or what could be different.

THERAPIES I USE

The following section is basically a long-winded way of saying "I learned cool therapy techniques." The truth is, successful therapy probably depends most of all on the basic stuff: your comfort and trust in me, feeling safe, understood, heard, and supported; and my reliability, consistency, and empathy as your therapist. Ultimately, my view is that everything flows from that solid, dependable, and straightforward foundation.


But, for those who like to know how things work, read on:

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Existential & Humanistic

We all must experience stress and anxiety as part of our existence, but modern-day society can completely overwhelm us with its demands. I trust that my clients are experts of their own lives – capable of not just coping, but thriving. Existential and Humanistic approaches should offer genuineness on the part of the therapist, honest feedback, support, encouragement, and ample kindness. These two therapies will allow you to fully take responsibility for living authentically, with all of life's concomitant stress and uncertainty. Learn more about existential [1] [2] and humanistic therapies [1] [2]

Mindfulness

Mindfulness simply means to pay attention, with intention, in a non-judgmental way. Learning to observe your thoughts and surroundings in a curious, open-minded, compassionate manner is an incredibly powerful tool. I strongly believe that with continual practice, you can gradually re-train your mind to ground itself, and return to the present moment, whenever it drifts away. I make mindfulness and grounding exercises a regular part of my sessions. Learn more about mindfulness [1] [2] [3]

Cognitive & Behavioral

The stories we tell ourselves about our ability and worth matter. Our knee-jerk reactions to situations and well-rehearsed internal beliefs about ourselves matter. Examining these aspects of your life allows you to not only build awareness of how they shape your experience, but lets you and I begin to re-frame your emotions, thoughts, and actions in a more helpful, fair, realistic, and goal-directed way. Learn more about cognitive behavioral therapy [1] [2]

Solution-Focused

I focus on looking for the good in your life. What is already working well for you? What do you want to see more of in your day-to-day? You contain a multitude of strengths and qualities that have already gotten you this far. Therapy should be about uncovering answers and finding ways to take small, actionable steps toward larger, meaningful changes that lean on your already existing strengths. Learn more about solution-focused therapy [1] [2]

A solid foundation of research exists that supports the effectiveness of cognitive/behavioral, mindfulness-based, and solution-focused therapies.

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